SUBCLASS COMMELINIDAE

One of four subclasses or superorders of Monocotyledones; comprises of mostly terrestrial herbs especially of moist places including: Cyperaceae; Gramineae; Bromeliaceae; and Zingiberaceae. The subclass Commelinidae consists of 16 families and about 15,000 species. More than 1/2 of all the species belong to the Poaceae (grasses). The grasses and sedges (Cyperaceae) account for about 4/5ths of all species. The Commelinidae has been defined by the absence of septal nectaries, with pollination mediated by pollen gathering bees (e.g., Commelinaceae) or by wind (e.g., Poaceae and Cyperaceae). Floral reduction associated with adaptation to wind pollination is a prevalent trend in the subclass. This reduction series includes the loss of floral parts for wind pollination, the increasing ecological importance of the multi-bracted spikelet (inflorescence), and the development of 1-seeded achene or grain fruits. Vessel elements are generally found in all vegetative organs. They range from tropical species to those that inhabit deserts, grasslands, marshes, forests and tundra, various species each tolerating extremes of heat, cold, moisture, and drought. Nearly every type of habitat contains atleast one member of this subclass. Molecular phylogenetic studies now define the Commelinidae in a broader fashion to include palms (subclass Arecidae in part), a few isolated families of the subclass Liliidae, and the subclass Zingiberidae. This expanded Commelinidae is defined principally on the presence of bound ferulic acid in cell walls. Nectar-mediated pollination is most likely primitive in the subclass with several, independent shifts occurring to both pollen gathering and wind-mediated pollination.

THE EVOLUTION OF THIS GROUP HAS TWO PROMINENT ASPECTS:

First, the flowers have become adapted to wind pollination. In almost all other species, pollination is mediated by wind, and structures that would aid in attracting insects such as nectarines or showy sepals and petals, have been either lost or modified such that they now aid in catching pollen or distributing the fruits after seeds have matured. Second, the reduction in body size. Most species in the subclass commelinidae are small herbs. Although they may be fibrous and tough like some grasses and sedges, they are rarely large and massive like palms and philodendrons. The giant bamboos are the only exception.

TAXONOMY
The complete "parentage" of Commelinidae: y Domain: Eukaryota - eukaryotes y Kingdom: Plantae y Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae - Green Plants y Phylum: Magnoliophyta, - Flowering Plants y Subphylum: Spermatophytina, - Seed Plants y Infraphylum: Angiospermae y Class: Liliopsida - Monocotyledons y Subclass: Commelinidae

Commelinidae is a botanical name at the rank of subclass. Circumscription of the subclass will vary with the taxonomic system being used (there are many such systems); the only requirement being that it includes the family Commelinaceae. A well-known system that did use this name is the Cronquist system (1981), but it was also used by the Takhtajan system.

Commelinidae in the Takhtajan system

In the Takhtajan system treats this as one of six subclasses within the class Liliopsida (=monocotyledons). It consists of subclass Commelinidae superorder Bromelianae order Bromeliales order Velloziales superorder Pontederianae order Philydrales order Pontederiales order Haemodorales superorder Zingiberanae order Musales order Lowiales order Zingiberales order Cannales superorder Commelinanae order Commelinales order Mayacales

order Xyridales order Rapateales order Eriocaulales superorder Hydatellanae order Hydatellales superorder Juncanae order Juncales order Cyperales superorder Poanae order Flagellariales order Restionales order Centrolepidales order Poales

Commelinidae in the Cronquist system

In the Cronquist system treats this as one of four subclasses within the class Liliopsida (=monocotyledons). It consists of: subclass Commelinidae order Commelinales order Eriocaulales order Restionales order Juncales order Cyperales order Hydatellales order Typhales

SOME COMMON SPECIES:

RICE (ORYZA) SUGARCANE (SACCHARUM)

PENNITUM BAMBOO